Saturday, January 4, 2014

1 Stop Shop at Sindang Market in Seoul

When I hear about Seoul, everything sparkling, shining and shimmering come to my mind. I think I am not the only person in the world whose notion about Seoul is nothing but a limelight city of South Korea where the pretty actresses, handsome actors and the lively K-pop thrive. In fact, Seoul is one of the most targeted cities of travelers in the world because of the exciting technology and adventures it can offer. Seoul for me is in the limelight of South Korea, it is very popular that I feel like I don't need to know more about the place. But once you will set your feet on the ground of Seoul, right at every corner of its prominent streets, you will get some bewilderment from unexpected revelations of the place. Take for example the Sindang Market in Seoul.

The Sindang market is situated right after you exit the Sindang station which can be accessed via Subway Line Number 2 and Line Number 6. You can literally stop and shop all you can at this place because you can actually get what you want including things that you can't expect to see in South Korea.

This place in Seoul could be the best place for people who want to collect items especially the antiques. This is one place where you can find objects from the past that could be very valuable to some collectors.

These mini motorcycles made with bronze are very attractive for me. I saw this in one corner of Sindang market and I just can't help but stare at it. I couldn't even dare to touch it.

Sindang Market is a street market where you can see everything you can in the street, yes, it in indeed literally a street market. Vendors are just putting all the items in any vacant area and wait for customers to come and buy. I was told that some of the items here were actually ransacked from apartments and abandoned buildings. I couldn't find any evidence though so I could not testify on that. But by just looking at the items below, it looks like being aggressively taken out of a closet or a room. Hmmm... ?!?!

The best thing about shopping at Sindang Market is that you can actually personalize your approach to the vendors.This is one effective way to get discounts on items you have selected. But beware of some vendors because they will just yell at you if you keep asking for a discount. Hahaha.

I think this market in Seoul has all the cutest items you could ever see in the street stores. I was tempted to buy one of the lamps below, there could be a genie living there. Who knows? I might be granted with three wishes.

And speaking of wishes, do you ever wish to see those items back in the 80s and 90s? Walkie talkie. Analog cameras. Walkman. Can you still recall those stuffs? Yes, you can find them all at Sindang, right at the heart of Seoul. I am just curious if there are still buyers for these stuffs? Or are these even working?

I love it when I see some shops with their displays neatly arranged in order. I just want to look at it because if I will buy one of their items, it will look awkward. I don't know if these items are really for sale or for just display purposes only.

Second hand watches are also everywhere, and hey, they are not ordinary watches because the watches are branded.

Just beware of some drunk ajummas or ajussis. This woman caught our attention because she kept on shouting like she's challenging anybody for a war. Yes, even in Seoul Market place you can encounter people like her. We tried to avoid her because she's holding a bottle of soju and we don't want to be hit by a bottle of course.

I was tempted to buy a calculator or a walkman too just to see if they're all working. I am not sure how old these items are or if there are people actually buying any of these items.

Some unique stuffs are also on display. Heaven knows what are their uses.

For those who have a good taste in art, you might find it interesting in here. You can see some paintings and some unique items from the old centuries like the abacus and a bag made of bamboo.

Just because it is a street market doesn't mean you can't organize your items on sale. I guess collectors could find a lot of interesting stuffs in here.

Ah, you're looking for something interesting? How about this?

And this too?

Furniture represents!!!! These cute and colorful chairs and tables makes me want to get one and bring home. But their sizes aren't practical enough to carry.

I also saw some cChinese stuffs in here. They look so fragile and expensive.

And if other vendors put an effort to display their items, some vendors simply put it beside the street and wait for interested customers to buy.

Do we have some kind of mardis gras here? If you are looking for masks similar to this, you can see a lot at Sindang market. They come in different forms and colors.

Cassette tapes, anyone? Or can you even remember this? Back in the '90s, I am one of those teenagers who loved to collect cassette tapes and make mix tapes.

Of course, kitchenwares could not be absent in a market setting like this. However, I can't guarantee that these items are new. But for sure, they're all in good condition.

And since it's winter, pre-loved skiing essentials are also available for buying.

I am still puzzled where they got stuffs like these. And why? And How? And who will buy these? I think these are good for collection.

Some good paintings that you can buy at Sindang Market.

After spending the whole cold Sunday afternoon at Sindang Market in Seoul, I think this place is a gem, a diamond in the rough. While some average shoppers could not really appreciate the items they can see at this market, I know that the story behind these pre-loved goods, the history, the previous owners and the value are more than enough to be appreciated.

Great finds! But I doubt if they're still working but this is fun to find some things that are somehow rare or old. I think you're familiar with Ilustre St. where all Class A finds can be found there.. :D